The mine rescuers from Kirkland Lake Gold were crowned the overall winners of the 10th International Mines Rescue Competition during a closing ceremony Friday night.
The Kirkland Lake Gold team was the first from Canada to ever win the international competition.
During the competition from Aug. 19 to Aug. 25, judges from six countries evaluated 27 mine rescue teams from 13 nations around the world on their firefighting skills, first aid response, high angle rope rescue skills, use of emergency equipment, and decision-making ability under stress in a simulated underground emergency.
Alex Gryska, director of Ontario Mine Rescue and one of the event’s organizers, said he received a lot of positive feedback from delegates around the world involved with the competition.
“The realism was second to none,” he said. “They could see we went through a lot of effort to stage the event.”
Gryska said the event was almost two years in the making, and will help further Sudbury’s reputation as a global mining centre.
In addition to Kirkland Lake Gold, two other Canadian teams also earned honours at the event.
Cameco McArthur Rive,r from Saskatchewan, placed second in the high angle rope rescue event, and third in the firefighting and first aid events.
Hometown favourites, Vale’s Sudbury West Mines placed third in high angle rope rescue and theory events.
Below is the full list of winners in the various events:
Overall Winner:
First overall – Canada, Kirkland Lake Gold
Second overall – Ireland, Boliden Tara Mines
Third overall – Poland, KGHM White Eagles
Emergency Underground Scenario:
First overall – Canada, Kirkland Lake Gold
Second overall – Canada, Compass Minerals, Goderich Mine
Third overall – Ireland, Boliden Tara Mines
Firefighting:
First overall – Poland, Bytom
Second overall – USA, MSHA Mine Energy Unite No. 1
Third overall – Canada, Cameco McArthur River
First Aid:
First overall – Australia, Peabody Energy Wambo Coal
Second overall – Ireland, Bolden Tara Mines
Third overall – Canada, Cameco McArthur River
High Angle Rope Rescue:
First overall – Poland, KGHM White Eagles
Second overall – Canada, Cameco McArthur River
Third overall – Canada, Vale Sudbury West Mines
Theory:
First overall – Canada, Compass Minerals, Goderich Mine
Second overall – Goldcorp Americas
Third overall – Canada, Vale Sudbury West Mines
Technician:
First overall – Russia, EMERCOM
Second overall – China, Shaanxi Coal and Chemical Group
Third overall – USA, MSHA Mine Energy Unite No. 1
